


night

by mikeymomoo



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Drinking, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-09 02:29:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17398292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikeymomoo/pseuds/mikeymomoo
Summary: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone love someone like he does.”Alex frowned slightly, shaking his head. “James isn’t with anyone, mate. You’re confused.” He took the remote back from where George had left it on the sofa, turning off the telly, and standing up to go to his bedroom.“I know that.” George smirked. “I meant how much he’s fucking head over heels for you.”





	night

**Author's Note:**

> hello i haven't written a fic in about 1.5 years but here i am because there aren't enough good fics of these 2
> 
> this is a collab with @hansomedevilz lov u bitch the second instalment is written by them!!!
> 
> thanks 4 reading peace

“It’s getting late.” James was reluctant to admit it, but he knew if he stayed at Alex and George’s flat much longer, he’d have to stay there for the night; Alex wouldn’t let him walk home alone at three in the morning. It was an argument they’d had several times, except it was never really an argument, because George never had enough heart to refuse the offer.

“Yeah,” Alex looked away from the television, playing some crime documentary on Netflix, to stare down at the floor, “Guess you should be getting off then.”

Standing up and brushing pizza crumbs off his jeans, James looked over at Alex, and paused for a moment. He wasn’t the best at reading people and he definitely interpreted things wrong a lot of the time, and yeah, he was biased, but Alex absolutely seemed disappointed about him leaving; that was fair, James supposed, as he was more than a little disappointed about it himself.

“See you later than, mate,” Alex said, watching as James shrugged his coat on.

“See ya.” James always wanted to end these long, lazy days with a hug, but he was never sure if it was appropriate. Maybe he’d brave it tomorrow. “Have a good one.” James closed the door gently behind him, ever careful not to risk a noise complaint.

Alex knew it was for the best that James walked home now rather than staying the night on the sofa again; it was no good for James’ back and even worse for Alex’s mental health. It had been months  since Alex had realised what the tugging in his chest that he felt around James meant, and it was still as persistent as ever.

George emerged from his room, a smirk on his face. “So James, huh?”

“Yes, that was James in your flat for the last six hours. You’ve met before.” Alex frowned. “What about him?” Flopping down onto the other side of the sofa, George picked up the remote to find something more interesting on Netflix. “Hey, I was watching that!” Alex said, not half as annoyed as he sounded.

“No, you weren’t. James was.”

He flicked through the recommended genres for a moment before Alex spoke again. “Seriously, what about James?”

George set the remote down, pulling a leg up onto the sofa to face Alex. “It’s really not my place to mention this, but, like… I mean, you must know it a little bit, at least subconsciously.” He scratched his nose, fidgeting with his knee. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone love someone like he does.”

Alex frowned slightly, shaking his head. “James isn’t with anyone, mate. You’re confused.” He took the remote back from where George had left it on the sofa, turning off the telly, and standing up to go to his bedroom.

“I know that.” George smirked. “I meant how much he’s fucking head over heels for you.”

Alex’s expression turned blank, and he spun on the spot to face George. “Fuck off, George. That’s not funny.”

“I  _ know _ . I’m not laughing.” He blinked up at the young man, his smirk turning less teasing, almost a gentle expression now. “I thought you knew, that you would’ve guessed. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything if you didn’t.”

“Fuck off,” Alex said with a small shake of his head, “I don’t need you doing this. Confusing things. It’s hard enough as it is without you taking the piss.”

“What do you mean, as it is?”

Alex regarded him for a moment before turning back to his door, shutting himself away from George for the night.

“You don’t— you don’t fancy him as well, do you?” George finished speaking as Alex clicked the door shut behind him, neatly ignoring the question he had posed.  “Well okay, then.”

-

They were nearly done recording an episode of the podcast when James asked a question that made Alex feel his heart in his throat. “I mean, you’re still single, right? Are you looking?”

James had added a bunch of stupid subjects to their list of things to talk about for the episode, one of which was Alex being a furry — he  _ wasn’t _ , and he wished James would believe it — but instead of ignoring it when it was next on the list, like they had with all the other joke additions, James actually brought it up. Alex supposed he could cut the section, but he knew he wouldn’t bother in the end.

That question had lead to this one, and Alex found himself immediately fumbling for an answer that didn’t make him sound desperate. “I mean— yeah, I’m single, and I guess I’m looking? Not like, actively, I’m not on dating websites or anything, and I’m not looking for anyone to throw themselves at me, but it’d be nice to be in a relationship again? I guess?”

“D’you miss it then?”

Alex looked at James over the glass of vodka coke; maybe drinking in another podcast wasn’t such a good idea. “Yeah. Absolutely.” Perhaps Alex should have put down the drink after answering that candidly, but he poured another shot of vodka in instead, and kept on drinking.

He checked his phone for the next subject, wanting to move on, but the question triggered a memory of the other night with George:  _ I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone love someone like he does _ . He’d mulled that sentence over a lot in the past few days, and as much as he thought on it, he couldn’t decide if George was taking the piss or not. He hoped he wasn’t, and he’d noticed James being  _ flirtier  _ since then, but he wasn’t  sure if he’d been reaching to see something that wasn’t there. He wondered how drunk he’d have to get before he’d speak to James about it.

As it turned out, Alex needed to be as drunk as he was by the time they wrapped up the podcast. He unplugged the microphone as the words fell out his mouth, “George said you fancy me.” He froze, eyes widening. “I mean, uh— he was probably joking, but I just— I dunno. I dunno why I said that.”

James took the mic from him gently, wrapping the cable around his arm to be put away, and thanking whatever god existed that he hadn't drunk as much as Alex had. He wasn’t sure he could deal with this if he was pissed, although he was just as likely to say something stupid sober. Ish.

“Did he really?” He felt he should judge what Alex’s reaction to the concept was before agreeing or disagreeing, but his heart was pounding with adrenaline. “When was that then?”

“The other night. You left at like one in the morning and then he came out all, like, ‘Oh that man loves you so much’, and I just, like, didn’t know whether to believe it,” Alex paused, looking at James’ hands, “It’s not a bad thing if you do,” He said, flicking his gaze up to James’ eyes, “I just wondered if it’s true.”

James passed the mic and lead back to Alex, their hands brushing; their eyes stayed locked, a pregnant pause stretching between them. “You’re not bad, I guess.”

“Not bad?” Alex’s eyebrow twitched.

“Yeah. And maybe I do fancy you a bit.” James turned away and looked at the bottle of Smirnoff. “Didn’t want it to ruin us being mates, you know? That’s why I didn’t say anything. And I didn’t want to, like, assume you’d be into me just ‘cause you’re bi.”

Giving up on packing down the rest of the equipment, Alex flopped back onto the sofa; James could finish it if he wanted to. “I...I’m not  _ not  _ into you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Interesting.” James sat next to Alex, his body turned towards the younger man. “How much do you not not fancy me, then?”

“Fair bit.” Alex traced James’ outline with his eyes, letting his vision rest on his thigh;without really meaning it to, he reached out to leave his right hand there, just above James’ knee. “Enough for that, I guess. And for, uh. For this.”

Alex looked back up to meet James’ eyes, his left hand moving up to clutch at the man’s jaw. It steadied him as he leaned forward to kiss him, their lips moving together. James mirrored his movement, letting his hand cup the side of Alex’s face, keeping him close by even as they pulled apart.

“Why didn’t you fuckin' say anything?” Alex murmured quietly against James’ mouth.

James brought them together once more, leaning into Alex’s shoulder when they pulled apart. “There’s this Portuguese saying, right?  _ É melhor prevenir do que remediar.  _ Basically translates to it’s better to stop something happening than to fix it. Didn’t want to ruin our friendship by telling you I’m into you, so I figured I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“Bet you feel like a right idiot now.”

“Yeah,” James replied, facing Alex again to plant a kiss on his cheek. “Guess I do."


End file.
